Quality sleep is one of those things that quickly gets cut out when we make a fitness routine.

5am workouts have gotten very popular lately.

The one and only time that many find to be convenient to get the work in.

Here’s my pushback to that though:

What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Rest?

If you’re cutting out sleep consistently to get in your workout then you may be a hamster running in a wheel.  Putting in the effort to get absolutely nowhere.

Why?

Because more than likely you’re pairing that 5am wake up call with a 11pm bed time.

Getting adequate sleep is not something that is only important to the young.

It’s as important, if not more so, as we get older.

Sleep is often the one thing that gets cut out when we make a fitness routine.

It gets viewed as a time that is almost “worthless”.

A time that can be thrown away because hey, time is expendable…right?

STOP RIGHT THERE.

Why Sleep is Critical to Your Wellbeing

Sleep is critical, not only to our fitness routine but to our everyday lives.

Getting that daily reset is key to getting mental clarity and physical strength for the next day.

Fat Loss: Sleep is crucial for managing hunger hormones like leptin and ghrelin, which control appetite. Poor sleep can lead to overeating because hey…you’re up more often and have more opportunities to visit the pantry.  

Reduces Inflammation and Muscle Recovery: Sleep has anti-inflammatory effects, which can help reduce muscle soreness and accelerate recovery after intense workouts. Not to mention that with reduced inflammation means better recovery and boosting your muscle building efforts.

Improved Performance: Well-rested individuals experience better focus, coordination, and reaction time, leading to enhanced workout performance and reduced risk of injury

Hormone Regulation: Sleep helps regulate key hormones like cortisol (stress hormone), growth hormone, and insulin, which play a role in muscle recovery and fat metabolism.

Mental Health: A well-rested mind helps reduce stress and anxiety, which can otherwise hinder consistency in sticking to a fitness plan.  It’s much harder to stay motivated to stay on plan when you’re exhausted from the get go.

Sleep is critical to any fitness plan.  Make sure that you’re keeping that mind when you sign up for that morning workout and plan your bed time accordingly.  

Author: Erica Villanueva, Personal Trainer